Five go down to Devon April 12 2013

Early on a Grey cloudy Saturday morning, we set off from Bristol to Devon for a 5k Obstacle course at Escot Park in East Devon.  Now had you had told me how horrendous the whole experience was going to be, I definitely wouldn't have signed up for it but the Devil came and took me on this particular day when my friend Emma asked me if I would like to do it.  "Yeah, alright." I said enthusiastically, "It'll be fun...!" Famous last words...

For six months I trained, I ran 3 times a week, I worked on my upper, I was getting fit and feeling fitter too.  I'd even talked the girls at work into doing it with me, that's how good at selling I am!

The big day arrived and it had been raining non-stop for 24 hours...  Good start. Set in beautiful surroundings, Escot Park is a privately owned estate and Emma, Treena, Danielle, Jackie and myself were about to embark on something that I am not likely to experience ever again!

The warm up had us rolling around in mud with the Southwest Military Fitness shouting commands at us so we were covered in mud before we'd even started.  After the initial shock of the warm up, we were off on our little adventure across the wet, cold, rolling muddy countryside.  Are you getting the picture, I wasn't enjoying this?

Don't be fooled by the happiness on my face, behind that painted smile, I was crumbling! (And that was before the ice skip!!!)

For 1 hour and 33 minutes, I ran, swam, climbed and fully submerged myself in a skip of ice.  I was literally in the skip for seconds and already my body had gone numb and because of this, I was unable to lift myself out and had to be dragged out by Emma.  I was so cold I couldn't even string a sentence together, my speech was slurred.  Now I know why the people on the Titanic died so quickly in the water after it went down, it was awful!  I would have given up there and then if it weren't for my team giving me encouragement to carry on, I wouldn't have given up out of pride and stubbornness but I came close.

After rolling over 6ft hay bales and running over hot coals, as we were nearing the end of what I'd imagine Army Bootcamp to be, Jackie turned to me and said, "I tell you what Linda, never again."  And I managed to raise a smile only to be met by an 8ft wall to climb over at the finishing line! It was one for all and all for one as we all crossed the line together, no one better, no one worse than the other.  We showed strength and comradery that day, we were truly united as a team.

How many people does it take to get one person over an 8ft wall? Only one looking at him hopping over like it was easy!!